Birthday Wishes
by revolution rae
Summary: Just some fluff I wrote for my sister's birthday. It's Sheena's 17th birthday and she skips testing to lay around. Instead of the relaxing day she anticipated, she spends the whole day with none other than...Zelos?


**This is just some birthday fluff for my sister's 17th birthday (So you better read this ange! *shakes fist threateningly*) so it may have some un-Sheena and un-Zelos conversations and actions, and some un-Corrine stuff, too, but don't worry-I'm not planning on writing anything like this again. ANYWAY, happy birthday ange, here's some sheelos for you!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything but the plot. Well, and Jamaar, the waitress, and The Blue Gill, and possibly some other stuff that you don't recognize. But someday, I'll own Tales and Yuan will reappear again....MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA you can count on it!**

**Well, I can dream, at least.**

* * *

I stretched out on my bed, sighing in contentment. It wasn't often I played hooky, so to speak, but since today was my 17th birthday, I'd made an exception.

"I'm bored, Sheena." Corrine squeaked loudly by my side. I chuckled.

"That's half of why we're skipping. It's so relaxing to be bored for once rather than doing tests all day."

"Can't we _go_ somewhere? Like a restaurant with fish? Please?" Corrine begged. Ever since he'd discovered a raw fish in the street and eaten it a few weeks before, he'd been obsessed with anything closely resembling seafood.

"Later on, Corinne. I just want to lay here for a little while longer, okay?"

"Awww, we've been lying here for_ever_!"

"I've been awake less than an hour, Corrine. It feels good to not get up."

"Okayyy, but soon?"

"Alright, I'll get up in half an hour or something, okay?" Corrine jumped out of my bed and began running around excitedly. I rolled over on my side and picked up my book from my bedside table. I began reading, loving the feeling of being calm. I loved skipping. I hated testing at the lab. Therefore, on days I considered special, I made it a point to skip.

I tried to read for a while, but Corrine was way too distracting for me to get caught up in the plot, so I stood up and stretched, Corrine bouncing around my feet. Yawning loudly, I pulled on my purple ninja's robe and black leggings and tied on my big pink bow tightly. I brushed my hair and pulled it back with a ribbon. Corrine jumped into my bow and squealed loudly, "Yay! We're getting FISH!!!" I laughed again and walked out of the room.

I descended the stairs and left the inn, a spring in my step and a smile on my face. I was even humming as I walked to the nearest seafood restaurant, The Blue Gill, earning me many curious glances. The sullen Mizuho girl, _humming_? The thought made me laugh out loud. An elderly couple smiled as they passed. I shook my head, smiling. Today was already full of surprises.

I walked into the Blue Gill and ordered a seafood stew. The redheaded guy behind the counter (who was actually pretty cute) winked and said, "On the house today." I smiled back. The day was going well. I ignored the little tug on my heart at thinking about redheads.

"So, I'm Jamaar. What's your name?" the cute guy said.

"I'm-"

"Playing hooky, hunny?" someone whispered in my ear. I jumped about a mile.

"Zelos, you idiot!" I shouted, turning and smacking him.

"Oh, Master Chosen!" Jamaar said. "Wh-what would you like, sir?"

"Whatever this young lady is having, Jamaar." Zelos replied pleasantly. Jamaar turned beet red (making him far less attractive) and shouted back the order.

"Please sit yourselves." he muttered.

Zelos led me to a table for two. He smiled at me. I kept my face neutral, unsure of how to respond. We talked to each other sometimes, we complained about the scientists when we had coinciding breaks, but recently, Zelos had stopped acting like a friend and starting acting like I was just another groupie. I didn't like it at all, and had said so, too.

"So hunny—"

"Sheena—"

"Okay, Sheena then, what are your plans for this lovely day?" he asked, leaning forward, his blue eyes gazing into mine. I blushed under his intense scrutiny.

"I'm just planning on, you know, relaxing and walking around." I finally said.

"Mind if I join you?" He raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"Er. Well. I don't want to hurt your feelings, but…Well, I really can't stand your fan club." I said bluntly. He laughed.

"That's fine, I said 'me,' as in 'Zelos, your friend who hates tests,' not, 'me' as in, 'The wonderful Chosen, Zelos Wilder.' And I'll tell you a secret." he said, lowering his voice and leaning in even further. I followed suit in order to hear him better. "I can't stand them either!" I burst out laughing, and a moment later, so did he.

"Uh, two seafood stews?" shouted a waitress. Zelos raised his hand, and she brought the tray of food over. She did a double take at seeing who she was serving and winked at Zelos, grinning suggestively. He smiled back at her politely, then waved her away. She frowned in consternation, glaring at me, and I smiled sweetly at her. She flipped me off. Zelos, of course, watched the exchange in fascination.

"Somebody jealous? No, no, don't hit me! I was kidding! And you never answered my question. Don't hit me again! I meant whether I could join you in your oh so relaxing day." I glared as he rubbed his arm.

"Yeah. Fine. Just don't…never mind. Corrine, your food is here!"

"Ooh, fish!" Corrine jumped out of my ribbon, onto the table, and began lapping up the stew. Zelos stared in astonishment, speechless for once. I laughed at his expression.

"What, didn't you know he was here?" I asked. He shook his head mutely. Corrine paused in splashing his stew and looked at Zelos.

"You didn't know I come everywhere with Sheena? She saved me." He stated.

"Go, 'go' everywhere." Zelos said absently. "And no, I didn't know that she saved you or that you go with her."

"You actually pay attention to grammar?" I said incredulously. He laughed and nodded.

"Only when my tutors aren't around. Don't tell them, though. I may impress them for once, and then the world would end!" he joked. We made dumb jokes like that until Corrine finished his food and jumped back in my bow. The rest of the day passed in a blur of laughing and talking, with certain moments standing out in my memory: When Zelos tripped and fell into the fountain; when we spotted a clan of his groupies and he grabbed my hand and ran, leaving a warm bright spot in my heart; when I ran right into a wall. The little funny things made my day far better than if I'd lain around the inn.

Then there was the end of the day, when he shared things from his past and I shared from mine. Nothing too deep or sad; it was too good of a day for that. Just old stories, like my adventures with Orochi and Kuchinawa and the pranks he'd played on his tutors.

Finally, at dusk, he brought me back to the inn. He smiled at me (making my heart pound), and I grinned back.

"So, did you have a good birthday?" Zelos asked.

"Yeah, actually. Thanks for remembering and hanging out with me." I replied.

"Well, it's not over yet!" He opened the inn door, and people all over jumped up and shouted, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHEENA!" I gasped in shock. Orochi, Kuchinawa, others from my village, some friends from the city were all there.

"Did you do this, Zelos?" I asked. He grinned.

"I figured you'd skip today, since it was your birthday, so I skipped yesterday and today to plan this." he explained. I put my hand to my face.

What I did next I can_not_ be held accountable for. I was intoxicated with laughter, joy, and surprise. Nothing else went into it at all. So when I turned and kissed him in full view of everyone I'd ever known, it meant nothing! Unlike what the snickering audience seemed to think of my breaking the most important rule of my culture. I quickly pulled away, but the damage was done. Zelos ran his fingers through his hair and gave a nervous grin.

"So, hunny, you like me?" I glared at him.

"It was an accident, okay? Now please, cover for me!" I hissed.

"Okay…" he muttered. "Bring out the cake!" he then shouted. Everyone gathered round as a cook carried out a huge chocolate cake. There were lit candles on it, 17, I assumed.

"Make a wish," Zelos whispered. I obeyed (_not_ wishing for another perfect kiss!) and blew out the candles. The crowd clapped as the cook cut the cake and dished out big pieces.

The night lasted longer than I thought possible, but eventually, the guests trooped out to their various inns and homes. Zelos, unsurprisingly, was the last one left. In the dark of the inn room, he cornered me.

"Why did you do that?" he asked almost harshly, his arms folded. I looked away.

"I-I guess…" He didn't give me the chance to finish. Instead, he bent his head and kissed me, one hand on the small of my back, the other on the back of my neck. I put my hands around his neck and kissed back (this was secret enough for Mizuho law, it to be) and we stayed there forever and a day before pulling apart. Breathing hard, I whispered to him, "I got my wish." He smiled and leaned forward so our foreheads were touching.

"Happy 17th birthday, Sheena."


End file.
